After being kicked out of Amtrak’s quiet car, Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie’s spokesperson is offering “sincere apologies” to those the New Jersey Governor offended this morning on an Amtrak Acela train to New York.
The Governor was on his way home after a Sunday show appearance in Washington, D.C., during which he accused some Black Lives Matters followers of calling for killing cops and blamed President Obama for this “lawlessness”. That bomb thrown, Christie proceeded to raise a ruckus in the sacred quiet car, according to a witness quoted by Gawker, yelling at his Secret Service because he didn’t get the seat he wanted and then barking into his phone complaints like “this is frickin’ ridiculous” and “seriously?! seriously?!”.
Melissa Cronin at Gawker explained that first the Governor almost missed the train, then he didn’t get the seat he wanted and then, to add insult to injury, he got kicked out of the quiet car. Bad Sunday.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
A (named) passenger told Gawker:
He got on last minute yelling at his two secret service agents I think because of a seat mixup, sat down and immediately started making phone calls on the quiet car. After about 10 minutes the conductor asked him to stop or go to another car. He got up and walked out again yelling at his secret service. He was drinking a McDonald’s strawberry smoothie.
Yeah, coulda just been some rando angry person who has a political agenda against Governor Bridgegate. You know how vindictive some people can be. But nope. It’s real. And Christie’s spokeswoman Sam Smith already has a “sincere apology” for those who were offended.
CNN’s Ashley Killough shared the statement from Christie spokeswoman Sam Smith on the Amtrak story:
Statement from Christie spokeswoman Sam Smith on the Amtrak story: pic.twitter.com/LcjrLnzL1t
— Ashley Killough (@KilloughCNN) October 25, 2015
“On a very full train this morning, the Governor accidentally took a seat in Amtrak’s notorious quiet car. After breaking the cardinal rule of the quiet car, the Governor promptly left once he realized the serious nature of his mistake and enjoyed the rest of his time on the train from the cafe car. Sincere apologies to all the patrons of the quiet car that were offended.”
Ironically, the Governor had just finished blaming President Barack Obama for the “lawlessness” in this country. Oh, subtle dog whistle! “The problem is this, there’s lawlessness in this country,” Christie said on CBS’ Face the Nation. “The president encourages this lawlessness. He encourages it.”
But when pressed on whether the Black Lives Matter shouldn’t be justified at all, Christie said: “I don’t believe that movement should be calling for the murder of police officers.”
When host John Dickerson interrupted to say that “they’re not calling for the murder of police officers,” Christie fired back.
“Sure, they are,” the New Jersey Republican responded. “They’ve been chanting in the streets for the murder of police officers.”
Oh, chanting in the streets – where free speech used to be encouraged, that’s almost like breaking all the rules by yelling on the quiet car. For shame. This is obviously all the President’s fault. Thanks Obama, for the quiet car disruption – Bridgegate – lawlessness – any and all of ’em!
The Governor ended his Amtrak journey in the café car, where all patrons no doubt appreciated his yelling at his Secret Service and phone. To be fair, it is very easy to get kicked off the quiet car. Though I’d wager it is easier for some than others.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
